JUNIOR BOYS TO WATCH
(athletes are listed alphabetically)
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Brandon Cheeks II (Mission Bay/SD) - Brandon, a double State Meet finalist last May, has the No. 3 qualifying mark in the triple jump (44-06) and the No. 7 mark in the long jump (21-00.25). As a sophomore at the State Meet finals, Cheeks placed 10th in the triple jump (43-9.25) and 12th in the long jump (21-7.50). Here last winter, he placed second in the triple jump (44-08.50) and seventh in the long jump (20-10).
Jordan Coleman (Granada Hills/LA) - Jordan has been one of the breakout stars of the winter and comes in with the top mark in the 60-meter dash (6.82), No. 2 time in the 150m dash (16.19) and No. 6 time in the 300m dash (35.11). As a sophomore here last winter, Coleman placed eighth in the 60m (7.08) and ninth in the 150m (16.79).
Emmanuel Hernandez (Cathedral/SS) - Emmanuel has the No. 2 qualifying mark in the 1500-meter run at 4:05.37. Manny is coming off a XC season where he placed second at Mt. SAC and fifth at State.
Zach Lewis (Pacifica/SS) - Zachary has the No. 3 qualifying mark in the shot put PR of 56-11. Zach is the No. 5 returner in the CA in this event. He had a previous PR of 54-11 for sixth place at CIF-SS Masters last May, earning a trip to the State Meet Prelims.
Jacob Lozano (Pleasant Grove/SJ) - Jacob has the No. 2 entry mark in the weight throw at 59-04. JSerra (SS) senior Brendon See is the top returner in this event from '22 where he placed third with a best of 54-07.50.
Legend Moore (St. Mary's/SJ) - Legend is the top qualifier in the high jump with a clearance of 6-5. He hit that PR at the Los Alamitos WCQ, exceeding his previous PR of 6-3 achieved at the CIF-Sac Joaquin Section Masters last spring.
Grant Morgenfeld (Palo Alto/CC) - Grant has the No. 2 qualifying time in the 3000-meter run (8:53.75) and the No. 5 entry in the 1500m (4:06.98). He is coming off a stellar XC season where he won the Central Coast Section Division 2 title, and qualified third at Champs West Regional to earn a spot to compete at Champs National XC where he placed 18th. He was third here last winter in the 3K (8:48.11) and 12th in the 1500m (4:05.13).
Xai Ricks (Long Beach Poly/SS; pictured) - Xai (pronounced 'Z-eye'), comes in with the top qualifying time in the 600-meter run (1:21.77) and the No. 2 time among qualifiers in the 300m (34.21). Here last winter he placed second in the 600m (1:19.92) and 10th in the 300 (35.29). Earlier this winter he ran 47.37 for 400m indoors in Texas, a U.S. No. 1 time for that distance.
Gabriel Rodriguez (Great Oak/SS) - Gabriel has the No. 4 qualifying mark in the 600-meter run at 1:23.37 and is also scheduled on the top-qualified 4x800-meter relay team (8:14.20) along with his brother Michael Rodriguez, and seniors Mark Cortes and Ramses Cortes. Gabriel is coming off a XC season where he placed fifth overall at the Southern Section D-1 finals, and ran No. 3 for Great Oak as it won the CIF-State D-I title, and he ran No. 3 again as the Wolfpack place sixth overall at Team Nationals.
Emmanuel Wallace (Redlands East Valley/SS) - Emmanuel has the No. 4 qualifying time in the 1500-meter run at 4:06.81. He is coming off an XC season where he won league, placed fourth at CIF-SS divisionals and 11th at State. Last spring, Wallace placed fourth in the 1600m and fifth in the 800m at the CIF-SS D-2 finals.
Joey Weisman (Torrey Pines/SD) - Joey has the No. 2 qualifying mark in the pole vault at 15-3. The multi-talented jumper came into the 2022-23 school year with a PR of 14-0 before clearing 14-11 indoors at the National Pole Vault summit and then 15-3 outdoors at the Great Oak WCQ.